When a Gareth Bale-inspired Real Madrid overcame Liverpool 3-1 in last season s Champions League final, the triumph merely scratched the surface of LaLiga s recent dominance in Europe s premier club competition.
Having become the first team in the Champions League era to retain the title against Juventus in Cardiff in 2017, head coach Zinedine Zidane made it three in a row before riding off into the sunset.
Madrid have won four out of five, their bitter rivals Barcelona interrupting the streak in 2015. Indeed, Liverpool and Juventus proved to be the only interlopers on a Spanish party during this period – Atletico Madrid were left in anguish by their city rivals in 2014 and 2016.
Five wins out of five and seven of the previous 10 finalists paints a picture of…
Paco Jemez has returned for a second spell in charge of Rayo Vallecano as the LaLiga club bid to avoid relegation.
Michel was sacked by Rayo on Monday after seven straight defeats left them 19th in the table, six points adrift of safety.
And with 10 games left after the international break, Rayo have turned back to Jemez by handing their former coach a deal that runs until June 2020.
Jemez, who also played for the club, was at Rayo from 2012 to 2016 but they were relegated from LaLiga during his final season in charge.
2 Rayo Vallecano won their first two LaLiga games under Paco Jémez (2012). Hope.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose)
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Yaya Toure is desperate to stay in the Premier League next season, according to the Manchester City midfielder s agent.
The 34-year-old, who has made just 16 appearances for the Premier League champions in all competitions this season, is out of contract at the end of the campaign.
His agent, Dimitri Seluk, has revealed the Ivorian has his heart set on a stay in England and will even agree to pay back half his wages if his new club are not satisfied with his performances.
He told Sky Sports News: Yaya is fit and desperate to prove he s still the best central midfielder in the Premier League.
He s happy to accept a one-year deal to stay in England. And if his club are not satisfied with his performances, he will pay back half his wages, or the club can …
Olympiakos have entered talks regarding the possibility of signing Rachid Ghezzal from Leicester City, according to Sky Sports. The winger has scored three goals in 23 appearances for the Foxes since his arrival to the King Power stadium for £12 million from AS Monaco last summer.
However, he is yet to play a single minute this season, and it appears that manager Brendan Rodgers has no place for him in his plans. Both the player and the Greek club are keen on getting the deal done before the transfer window across Europe slams shut.
Before his year-long stint at Monaco, the 27-year-old spent five seasons with Lyon, but he was never a prolific goalscorer, given his position as a winger. His best season was 2015/16, when he found the opposition net 10 times in 38 games. …
Wilfried Zaha says he is not thinking about anything other than Crystal Palace as rumours of an exit continue to mount.
The 26-year-old has been in fine form for the south London club this season, scoring eight goals in 29 Premier League appearances.
Speculation that he could rejoin Manchester United has arisen in recent weeks but the Ivory Coast international insists he is not targeting a move away from Selhurst Park.
“My future is at Palace,” he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“I am at Palace, I am not thinking about anything [else].
“I m just playing my football and I will just see what the future holds for me.”
Zaha became Alex Ferguson’s final signing at Manchester United when he moved to Old Trafford in 2013, yet he …
Tokyo citizens marked Japan s victory over Colombia in sensational style, taking to one of the cities major landmarks in order to celebrate their nation s first win at a World Cup since 2010.
Yuya Osako s 73rd-minute header proved the difference on Tuesday, as Japan edged out 10-man Colombia 2-1 at Mordovia Arena.
Having made it to the last 16 in South Africa 2010, Japan finished bottom of their group in 2014, claiming just one point from three fixtures.
Despite Juan Fernando Quintero cancelling out Shinji Kagawa s opener, Osako s effort ensured they put their humiliation in Brazil behind them, and Omnisport s Ryan Hiscox was on hand to witness the jubilant celebrations in Tokyo, as thousands made their way to the famous Shibuya Crossing.
Was wondering …
Despite Atletico Madrid’s numerous acquisitions this summer, it appears that the club might strike yet another deal, this time involving Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez, reports .
Los Blancos signed the Colombian attacking midfielder in July 2014, after which he was on loan at Bayern Munich from 2017 to 2019. In June this year it was announced that Bayern would not be exercising their option to buy, which meant he would be returning to Santiago Bernabeu.
It is thought that Los Blancos are eager to sell the 28-year-old in order to be able to afford the fee of another possible transfer, as it has been reported recently that they would be interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar.
However, president Florentino Perez’s asking price of €50 million mi…
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte conceded his richly successful switch to three at the back has left Branislav Ivanovic as the odd man out, with speculation swirling over the Serbia captain s future at Stamford Bridge.
Ivanovic has been linked with a move to Russian Premier League club Zenit, while a clutch of English top-flight clubs are also reportedly interested in the 32-year-old s signature.
Conte s rejig to a 3-4-2-1 following September s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal inspired Chelsea s on-going and relentless march towards the Premier League title.
Ivanovic wore the captain s armband at Emirates Stadium and continued what was, at that stage, an ever-present record in the league.
He has not made Conte s Premier League starting XI since, though, and the form…
Erik ten Hag is hopeful that the Manchester United board will continue to stick with him if the club goes through difficult moments next season.
The Red Devils boss signed a contract extension last month, shortly after rife speculation that he was set to be fired after the FA Cup final, no matter the result.
United beat Manchester City to win the trophy on the back of their worst-ever finish of eighth in the Premier League.
With a new leadership group in charge, Ten Hag is confident that the team can prove they are competitors when the new season gets underway.
I feel that we built something and that the people who are around me are in the same boat, Ten Hag said in an extended interview in their pre-season tour in Los Angeles.
But of course, it…
Kingsley Coman scored twice as France s march towards Euro 2020 qualification continued with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Albania.
Antoine Griezmann s penalty miss was all that marred a dominant display from the world champions, who were without Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba in Paris.
Coman s second international goal got France up and running in the eighth minute, with Olivier Giroud doubling the hosts lead prior to the half-hour.
Griezmann failed to convert an international spot-kick for the first time soon after, but made amends with a sublime assist for Coman to double his tally midway through the second half.
Substitute Jonathan Ikone helped himself to a debut goal late on, as Didier Deschamp s side – who conceded through Sokol Cikalleshi s pena…